Great post. I actually read about this sort of propulsion when I was at school and it was just a dream.
Seems amazing that a couple of decades later it is actually close to being reality. The Milner news brought a lot of well needed publicity (in addition to the money) to this concept.
I think sometimes bringing something in to the public consciousness is the most important step in really getting things done. Just look what happened with Elon Musk talking about the hyperloop - another old idea that looks like it will now happen.
Things are really starting to get exciting.
I hope the technology matures to the point where I can one day visit Mars (even if I'm very old at the time). Have wanted to go ever since I saw Total Recall as a kid (the Arnie version).
I love your quote from your father "NEVER" is a long time. That is so true, in science you can't really say "never" the most you can say is that something probably won't happen.
Technology and science is constantly changing and evolving. New physics may evolve that allows for faster than light travel - in a sense we already have some of this in the form of wormholes.
If you could take back a working Iphone somehow to a person a thousand years ago they could not possibly even understand how such a device was possible. To them it would seem impossible or at best some kind of magic or sorcery.
Thank you for your comment! It is getting exciting and I feel like we are going to have a lot of progress in the next 10 or 20 years. I have also had a fascination with Mars as well and have liked almost all the movies about it. Total Recall, Red Planet, Mission To Mars, Martian .....etc We will get there and beyond.